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QLD rainfall for the 24 hours to 9 this morning. BoM  |
 QLD: Widespread
substantial rains in most areas
Broadscale uplift across QLD combined with abundant moisture to give the best
rain to central QLD since mid February, and southern border
areas since late January. The rain maps to 9am today (at right) and tomorrow show
the extent of the rain which began in the Gulf Country and Central West yesterday
afternoon and gradually moved southeast during today.
The heaviest falls were in the Warrego and Maranoa.
Mitchell PO's total of 68.2 for the 24 hours to 9am equalled its May record
in 118 years of rainfall observations. The town's maximum temperature of 15.5
today, 8.5 below normal, was exactly the same as its minimum temperature yesterday
morning which was 8.4 above average.
Rain continued to fall during the day,
producing some substantial totals in
the
48 hours to
9am
Thursday.
Among the highest were:
| Springfield |
80km WSW Roma |
131.4 |
| Karoola Park |
75km S Roma |
115.8 |
| Mungallala |
125km W Roma |
112.8 |
| Mitchell PO |
80km W Roma |
108.2 |
| Augathella PO |
75km NNE Charleville |
106.6 |
| Dalmally |
30km SW Roma |
105.8 |
| Morven PO |
85km E Charleville |
102.8 |
The rainfall map for the week ended Thursday 12
MAY best shows the rainfall distribution for this event away from the
coast. Apart from the Warrego and Maranoa, falls of 25 to 50mm were general
across central and central southern areas, with some heavier falls on the
Central Highlands. Rain tapered off westwards, but Birdsville's 6.4mm was
still its heaviest fall since 10.0mm on 29 AUG and its first rain since 0.2mm
on 5 JAN.
On the coast, a narrow band of very moist air (precipitable water
levels were greater than 50mm at 10am) combined with moderate instability
levels to set
up a brief period during late morning and early afternoon when moderate to
heavy rain extended in a continuous line from Cairns to Brisbane. This band
moved out to sea, but lingered into the evening south of Rockhampton. High
totals for the 24 hours to 9am 12 MAY mostly
accumulated during this period, and included 65.0mm at Rockhampton Aero and
63.5 at Moura PO. The Mackay area also received further substantial falls,
bringing totals around the city for the 3 days to 9am 12 MAY
to well over 100mm. These included 175mm at Mackay Alert (virtually in the
CBD), 128.8 at Mackay Met Office (3km S of the CBD), and 120.0mm at Te Kowai,
7km WSW.
The QLD Department of Primary Industries said the rain was enough in parts
to promote winter pasture growth
and
provide
relief
for some graziers. But Principal Scientist David Phelps told ABC Radio that
the amount and intensity of the rain event could work against pasture growth
in some areas. He said Mitchell grass could be damaged by falls of less than
30mm and the region's
Flinders pasture may
also be affected. "Unfortunately if it's been fairly high intensity rain,
if it's fallen hard and heavy, that tends to pulverise the Flinders grass into
the ground
- that means it's both less accessible to the cattle, there's not as much bulk
there and it also reduces the quality of the Flinders," he said.
Some of the areas that received good rain were only added to the state's drought-declared
list on Monday. Bungil, Bendemere and Roma Shires in the
Maranoa received good rains, though Pittsworth and Warroo, nearer Toowoomba,
did not fare as well. The five joined 45 other shires on the list, making
more than half the state drought-declared. Graziers were quick to point out
that even the heaviest falls could not be considered drought-breaking.
 WA:
Heavy storm falls in the Central and Lower West
A front and trough approaching southern WA moved into a moist northwesterly
airstream today triggering thunderstorms and some heavy showers across the
Central and Lower West. Heavier downpours are listed below and
those that occurred to midnight this evening are listed in the downpours section
for Friday. They included 11.8mm in 16 minutes at Collie East, 16.2 in 30 minutes
at Geraldton, 21.6 in an hour at Witchcliffe and 18.6 in an hour at Swanbourne.
The highest total to 9am Friday was 56.2 at Dandaragan West, 140km N of Perth.
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